What’s in Season: Zucchini Waffles

Zucchini is one of those things that you can prepare a million different ways. Slice it, dice it, roast it, sautee it, grill it, fry it, put it in sauces, serve it with pasta, make zucchini bread, muffins, pancakes, tots, chocolate cake…the possibilities are endless if you use your imagination! The flavor of zucchini is very mild, so it’s kind of a blank palette when it comes to cooking it. (Incidentally, although zucchini is treated as a vegetable, it’s technically a fruit, as it comes from a flower. I didn’t think about that until this year!)

I’m always trying to sneak fruits and vegetables into Wes’ food, and we had some zucchini around (as you may at this time of year), so I decided I wanted to try zucchini waffles. I mentioned previously that I only recently got a waffle iron, and I have been having fun making delicious variations on waffles! I mean, why not? Zucchini bread is delicious, and you can put just about anything in a waffle iron. Magic happens when those little squares get all crispy and delightfully yummy!

I found this recipe for zucchini waffles and thought I would give it a try. It was perfect for me because it uses whole wheat flour and oats for added nutrition. Also a bonus, it’s a pretty easy recipe to prepare. Many waffles require beating the egg whites separately and then incorporating (which is ok because the resulting waffles are so delicious!), but this one does not. The biggest part of the work is the shredding of the zucchini, but I didn’t bother to peel it, so if you can handle that, you’re golden!

The only thing I really did differently in the recipe is that I added a little ground flax because it has a reputation for being a super food, with lots of Omega 3s, fiber, and more. I don’t typically use a lot of butter when I cook or bake. I usually substitute coconut oil or something else, but in waffles, the butter really helps make the outside crispy, which I love, so I left it alone. It’s only a couple of tablespoons in the whole recipe anyway, so in the end, you’re not eating that much.

These freeze well too, so make a big ol’ batch and save some for later! Just let them come to room temperature and then freeze in freezer zip top baggies. To reheat, thaw and toast in the toaster.

So if you have some zucchini around and you want to try something new, give these zucchini waffles a try!

Zucchini Oatmeal Waffles

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats (I use old-fashioned, but quick are fine)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons of ground flax seed (optional)

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron. I use the second to highest setting for this recipe.

Stir milk, zucchini, eggs, and 2 Tablespoons of butter in a bowl until evenly blended. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and flax in another bowl; gradually stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture. Allow batter to rest for 30 minutes.

When ready to cook, brush the waffle iron with some of the remaining melted butter. Ladle batter into prepared waffle iron. Cook until waffle iron stops steaming and waffles are golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

I recommend serving with real maple syrup. Yummmmm!

Enjoy!